Location: Maastricht, The Netherlands. (Previously of Eindhoven, Brussels, Großweil and The Hague)

Most people overestimate their intelligence, as do I.

I mean, just because I speak 4 languages fluently and one a little less fluent, passed a sociology exam without even looking at the main book I was supposed to read and manage to dominate every dinner discussion doesn't mean I'm intelligent. It means I'm good at summing up positive facts about my intellect while leaving out the negative aspects.

For instance, I always zone out when two people are talking and I am not directly included. I then try to get back into the conversation by saying something obvious about the subject, which is sometimes something they literally just said. Now that just makes one look dumb.

No.
Consider: when my parents attended university, only 5-10% of school leavers went to university.
Today, somewhere over 40% of school leavers go to university.

That's not because 4 times as many people are intelligent enough, it's because more spaces have been made available.

While I agree with you, I think we should also consider that because of that, more people are educated for longer nowadays than they used to be, which I would imagine must have some sort of an effect on the average intelligence of the population.

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“Our life is what our thoughts make it.”
― Marcus Aurelius

While I agree with you, I think we should also consider that because of that, more people are educated for longer nowadays than they used to be, which I would imagine must have some sort of an effect on the average intelligence of the population.

Possibly.
However, is it not also possible that previous generations have had similar intellectual potential, but that more people are now able to realise more of that potential due to increased availability and duration of education?

Possibly.
However, is it not also possible that previous generations have had similar intellectual potential, but that more people are now able to realise more of that potential due to increased availability and duration of education?

It is, but in the Netherlands university still means something. It is that other countries just call all higher education university that is the problem.

It's really hard to judge people you don't really talk to in person. If I compare most people here to the posters I see on 9GAG every day, I'd say you're practically Einsteins. And nothing changes if compare you to the people I can't stand IRL.

Since I have learnt a bunch of interesting stuff here, I'm going to say there's a bit of IQ somewhere beneath the raging currents of troll fat. Voting for average.

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Well it's evil, wicked, mean and nasty
- Don't step on the grass, Sam
And it will ruin our fair country
- Don't be such an ass, Sam

Anyway, I thought the American system was more that the university you're in defines your "level". In the Netherlands there's not really a difference. It's all the same. We are already selected at the age of 12 to different school levels, and they also define what you can do when you're done with highschool. VWO and Gymnasium (+/-10% of the population) go to the University.

Universities here usually are 4 year facilities. Community colleges are only usually 2 year.

That too

Ok good to know. Here we have MBO (4 years for jobs like: electrician, carpenter etc), HBO (4 years for jobs like teacher, all kinds of stuff in the medical profession apart from doctors ) and University for all good paying jobs with less applied stuff.